The Princess And The Gladiator
by Hydrangeasia
Summary: Set in ancient Rome. Olivia is a princess. Fitz is a gladiator, the champion of Rome and a slave. Slaves are forbidden from fraternizing with their masters but when Olivia returns home from a trip abroad and they meet for the first time, will they be able to resist each other?


A/N- Hi guys, I'm trying out this new story. It's completely different from anything I've done before but when the idea popped into my head, I decided that I had to give it a try. Give it a read and let me know if it's worth pursuing. Please be honest and constructive with your criticism.

There is a list at the end of the story for certain phrases that I felt the need to explain. Some of my references are based in history while some things I've made up for the purpose of this story.

Summer, 60 BC, Ancient Rome.

Fitz laid on his small bed in his chamber outside the master's villa. It was almost midday and he was still suffering from the effects of drinking too much wine after his victory in the arena the day earlier. It was hot and humid, he could hear swords clashing and his fellow gladiators grunting outside from the day's training.

He stood up slowly and stretch, observing the bandaged wound on his thigh from where he got sliced during his fight, he shrugged, it hurt but he was used to pain. He wrapped his subligaria under his groin and around his waist and ass and then tied it, then he strapped on his leather sleeves and stumbled over to his wooden room door and opened it.

There were almost 19 other gladiators training in the hot sun but the way he was feeling, he couldn't imagine fighting in the sun for the next several hours.

"Doctore," he called to the trainer of the gladiators, pointing to the shade without saying another word.

The man nodded and Fitz proceeded to the shade to practice with his wooden swords on the wooden training pole. He barely swung his sword before he heard the guards shouting.

"Open the gates, the princess and prince approach. Open the gates and present yourselves."

Twenty guards, clad in metal armor with the sigil of Eli which was an gold falcon bird, imprinted in the metal, formed a line at the entrance of the gate and slowly opened the large iron gate allowing a large gilded chariot drawn by four white stallions to enter the yard. A group of house slaves, ran over to the door of the chariot and placed a small stool on the ground.

The first person to disembark the chariot was the prince. Prince Anaca was only 23 years old, he was tall and dark with black low cut hair; he wore long, white robes draped around his body with gold arm cuffs and brown sandals. Fitz only had the displeasure of meeting him once and that was when he'd first arrived at the villa.

The second person he watched exit the chariot was a slave, he couldn't tell at first because she wore such a pretty dress but then he saw the collar around her neck. He watched as another female slave exited and then there was a woman. He assumed it as the princess. He'd never seen her before, not in person, he had seen portraits of her mounted on the wall inside the villa, the very few times he been allowed to enter.

He watched as the woman stepped out of the chariot, her dainty feet barely imprinted the ground because she stepped so lightly. He couldn't see her face, as he was on the opposite side of her chariot across the yard, far from the opulence of the villa, but as she walked with her two body slaves he saw her silhouette. She was dark of skin but lighter than her brother. She had jet black, long curly ringlet hair, flowing wildly past her breast reaching her lower back. She wore a pale blue dress, made from the finest silk; it was sheer and showed everything underneath her dress except her breast and womanhood. Her dress slit at the thigh on both sides and draped across her breast and over her shoulders, she wore sandals strapped up to her thigh and gold cuffs around her wrist.

She walked up the steps of the villa. Fitz only then noticed her waiting parents, the prince and princess of Numeria, Eli and Maia.

Eli, was sent to Rome by his older brother and King, Set of Numeria to forge a relationship between Numeria and Rome. it had been some twenty odd years later and Rome was now his home. He'd made acquaintances of the senators, consuls, praetors and magistrates, the richest man in Rome was his friend and his also wealthy in his own right, claiming the title of the second richest man in Rome (though he really thought he was the first).

Numeria was a fertile land filled his livestock, grain and fruits and gold...a lot of it. It sat on the shore of the mediterranean sea, close to Egypt. It was known for its beautiful futuristic architecture and technology, high walls, riches and it's very progressive society. It was by far the most advanced society in the known world but it was also very secluded. King Set was a nationalist and isolationist, he concerned himself only with the well being of Numeria and kept out of world politics.

Eli's villa was very large, the largest in Rome. It had wide open yards with a pool that slaves filled and emptied daily, there was a large garden filled with all manor of beautiful flowers and small fruit trees. The house was 2 stories high with two large columns featured at the front facing the gates. It was completely white, once inside, the floors were tiled with while marble, the walls were lined with art and beautiful silk drapes flowed in every room.

Fitz watched as she walked up the steps, he observed how small she was in stature, she was tiny, even smaller than her mother who herself, was as a small woman.

She hugged her mother, "mother, I have missed you." then she turned to her father, "father, it's been too long."

"My beautiful girl, I was a fool to let you leave for studies for so long."

"What a beautiful gown, you glow like the sun," her mother gushed.

"Gratitude, a merchant travelled from Asia minor, he had beautiful dresses made of all the finest silkcloth, I bought them all."

Her mother chuckled and took her hand in hers and kissed them.

"Come, sweet child, I have missed you more than the telling of words, you have been travelling for too long, let us eat and drink and recall all your adventures in Greece and Hispania."

Olivia turned to her slaves, signaling to them to follow her as she took off with her mom into the villa.

"It looks like mother hasn't missed me much," Anaca remarked.

Eli rested his hand on Anaca's shoulders, "your mother has always been very taken with your sister."

Anaca shrugged, "I'm tired, the day is hot and unforgiving."

He turned to one of the woman servants.

"Slave, go draw me a bath," he ordered.

"Yes, my prince."

She scurried off quickly.

"Eat, drink, bathe, oil and scent yourself and then let us catch up, I want you to tell me everything that you learned at the university in Greece."

"Father, your question would be better posed to my darling sister, she has a mind for studies, she enjoys it, I enjoy other things," Anaca said with a smile.

"Such as?" Eli asked.

"Women, all the woman Greece had to offer and not one less."

Eli chuckled, "go tend to yourself and meet me on the patio, we have a lot to discuss, you've been gone for more than a year."

Anaca turned around and looked far across the yard at the gladiators training, he didn't see Fitz at first, not until his eyes wandered to the far corner of the yard, where the shade fell.

"I see my gladiators are in good form," he said to Eli.

"Yes," Eli replied as his eyes fell to Fitz as well, "I still think this house is above owning gladiators, they are animals, base in nature, but if it gives you comfort so be it."

"It does," he said with a sigh and began to make his way to the villa, "I'll take my leave and join you as soon as I can."

Once they all disappeared into the villa, the slaves began emptying all books and clothing from the carriage.

Fitz returned to his training.

* * *

Olivia walked to the sit room with her mother, followed by both their slaves.

"How was the journey back?" her mother asked.

"Long, hot and boring but I kept myself occupied with the many books and scrolls I brought back. I think I might have learned for from reading myself than I learned from the professors."

Maia chuckled, "even as a child, you made a fool of your teachers, why stop now."

"My thoughts exactly," Olivia joked.

As they walked Olivia noticed more staff than usual, running around with food and decorations.

"Mother, what's going on?"

"Oh, I thought you'd never ask, we're having a party to celebrate you and your brother's arrival."

"A party?"

"Yes."

"Who will be be there?" Olivia asked.

"All your friends, Caecilia, Aurelia, Julia, Fabia, the whole lot of them."

"And?"

"Your father's friends as well."

"He's trying to marry me off, isn't he?" Olivia asked.

"Olivia, you are off that age, you are young and beautiful and rich and most importantly, you are a princess, you need to be married."

"You're not forcing Anaca to get married."

"He's-"

"What? A man?"

"No," Maia chuckled, "I was going to say, I wouldn't want to condemn any poor girl to marriage with you brother."

Olivia chuckled humorlessly, "not funny, I don't want to get married, I don't want to have children and I'm a Numerian princess but we are not in Numeria, I've never been there, my title doesn't count, we are in Rome, my title is nothing more than a title, to give me status but it has no true meaning, father's not even in line for the throne in Numeria, not unless uncle Set's sons die."

"Hush now, enough about that, children will make you happy."

Maia turned to Olivia's slave, Marcia. "Draw her a milk bath."

"Yes, princess," Marcia said with a bow.

She hurried away, followed by three other slave girls.

"Where are the children?" Olivia asked.

"In the yard."

"I would visit them."

Maia attempted to follow her.

"Alone, mother."

"Olivia, it's been more than I year, I want to be by your side," Maia complained.

"Okay."

Maia took her hand and walked her out to the yard through the side entrance to visit the children of the yard. The children who were born of the slaves. They used to do housework but Olivia made the case that they were children and should be allowed the enjoy their childhood. She used her own money to hire a teacher from the city to come daily and give them lessons in reading and writing. She was glad to see that even though she had been gone for over a year, that they were still being taken care of.

They were sitting by the garden, on their little stools, reciting the names of old Roman gods. Olivia walked up behind them but didn't let her presence be known. She watched in delight as they called out the names in their squeaky young voices. There were 8 children in total.

"Jupiter, Mars, Venus."

One of the distracted children turned around, only to see Olivia standing behind them.

"Princess Olivia!" she screamed.

"Helena," Olivia called.

Helena was the 9 year old daughter of one of the slaves, she had dirty blond curly hair and a heart shaped face with green eyes, she was small for her age she looked more like a 7 seven old than a 9 years old.

"You're back!"

The other children turned around too, the older children remembered her while the younger ones looked at her in confusion.

They all stormed over to her and hugged her, all at the same time, she almost fell to the ground.

"Careful children," Maia said.

"They just miss me, that's all," Olivia said with a smile.

Her two body slaves, Marcia and Luna walked over to them.

"Your bath is almost ready princess."

"Okay, give me a moment."

Olivia stooped down in front of the children.

"Helena, still the smallest I see. Hamid, love your hair, Marcella, Yousef; you're almost a big I am."

They all chuckled.

Olivia walked to the smaller kids.

"Hello little ones."

They stood, shyly swaying back and forth, all 4 little children, ranging from 2-4 years old.

"I remember all of you, especially you," Olivia pointed to the small 2 year old boy, "you were but a year old, still suckling on your mother's breast."

Olivia walked to the teacher and attendant.

"Are they being fed and taken care off."

"Yes, princess," one of the women replied.

"And it's not that god awful piss soup you give the gladiators."

"No, I've seen them well attended to in your absence Olivia," Maia said.

"They're children, they deserve as much."

Olivia turned back to the children, "I brought you gifts from Greece, would you like to come with me and see them, I really think you'll them."

"Yes!" they all screamed.

"Come on, let's go."

She took the children back to the villa and gave them the honied candy she brought back from Greece.

"Gratitude, princess Olivia," they all screamed.

"Go play children," she said with a smile and then turned to their attendant, "please see them all bathed and prepared for the party later."

"There's a part later," Helena asked.

"Yes, sweet girl, and you'll be there and there will be lots of food and you can eat it all," Olivia said.

"Olivia, they're slaves, they can't eat the food from the party," Maia reminded, she was used to Olivia's antics in private but she couldn't tolerate it in front of their guests.

"They're children mother, let them enjoy being children, I'm sure they'll be branded up soon enough."

The children still lingered around her, dancing from the fresh sugar rush they got from the candy.

"Go play, it's a beautiful day out," she said to them. They finally ran off, the teacher and attendant followed.

"You know, you're every bit as stubborn now as when you left," Maia said.

Olivia shrugged with a smile, "I know." she turned to her body slave, "how about that bath."

The nodded and escorted her to the bathroom, where the concrete pool was filled with milk and lavender and rose petals, Maia followed and watched as they undressed Olivia and helped her into the tub. The two slaves undressed as well and got into the tub with her. They took a soft cotton cloth and began bathing her as she sat in the milk.

"Okay, I'll leave you to it," Maia said.

Once she left, Olivia took a sigh of relief and took the cloth.

"It's fucking ridiculous that she thinks I shouldn't bathe myself."

Marcia, who'd been her body slave since they were children laughed. She was born in the villa to an Egyptian mother, when her mother ran away and was captured and killed, she was to be killed as well but Olivia pleaded with her parents to spare her. They were 8 years old then, they are 18 years old now.

"I know how much you hate being bathed," Marcia said, she could relax now, no one was watching.

Luna laughed, "and I know how much you love milk baths Marcia."

Marcia splashed her with some of the milk, and Luna returned the gesture playfully.

"So ladies, what are we wearing tonight?" Olivia asked.

"Princess, I don't think your mother will let us wear your dresses now that we are home," Luna said.

"Don't be ridiculous, of course she will, you're not her slave, you are mine and you will wear whatever you'd like."

"Gratitude," they both said in unison.

"Are your friends coming?" Marcia asked.

"Yes, thankfully, or might have died from boredom."

"I think the gladiators will be on display tonight, I heard one of the yards slaves say it," Marcia said.

"I have no idea why Anaca brought those fucking gladiators," Olivia said as she scrubbed her skin.

"Not all the gladiators, just the champion of Rome," said Luna.

"I'm excited," Marcia said.

"I think there's enough violence in the world as it is, I don't need to watch it for sport as well," Olivia remarked in disgust.

She been watching gladiator fights all her life, she'd seen limbs chopped of, decapitations, she'd seen bodies sliced in two. She was no fan.

After a while, her other servants came with jugs of water to wash her off. Once she was done, she stepped out of of the tub followed by Marcia and Luna.

She stretched out her arms so one of her servants could wrapped her in her robe and then she walked to her bedroom.

Once she got in her room, she plopped down on her bed as she, Marcia and Luna tried to decide what gowns to wear.

* * *

Fitz sat under the shade of a fig tree eating his bread and soup for lunch.

"Celt!" one of the guards called.

He looked up and noticed a squad of 3 guards walked towards him but he didn't respond to them.

"Celt!"

Fitz still didn't respond.

They stopped under the tree in front of him. One of the guards kicked his foot.

"You didn't hear me calling you Celt?"

"My name is not Celt,' Fitz replied, calmly.

"Fuck your name, slave! The prince wants to speak with you in his quarters. Get up!"

Fitz sighed and rested his plate on the ground and then stood up and walked with the guards back to the villa. Before they entered the villa, the guards bound his hands in front of him with shackles, Eli warned the guards never to bring a gladiator into the villa unrestrained.

The guards walked him down the hall of the villa and up to the second floor on the patio. They stood in silence as they waited for the princes to arrive.

"There he is. The champion of Rome! You've done well in my absence," Anaca said as he walked out unto the patio, followed by Eli and 4 servants.

Fitz didn't reply.

"He of a good form, is he not?" Anaca said to Eli.

"He is, exceedingly so," Eli agreed, "he's won every match he's fought."

Anaca turned to the servants, "make sure he is bathed and oiled and dressed in fine armor so the party later, I would show him off in front of our guests."

"Yes my prince," all three servants said in unison.

"You'll need to be on your best behavior tonight, you'll be in company of proper Romans and I would not have you embarrassing this house," Anaca said.

Fitz didn't respond.

"Do you understand me slave?"

Fitz nodded once.

"Good."

Anaca and Eli left without another word.

The guard bowed and took Fitz back to the yard to finish his training.

* * *

By dusk, the guest had started arriving.

One by one, carriages of Rome's famous senators, magistrates and socialites were escorted into the villa.

Olivia waited in her bedroom with Marcia and Luna for all the guests to arrive and then she would go and greet them all. She wore a light pink sheer silk gown, with gold and ruby jewels. Marcia wore one of Olivia's green gowns and Marcia wore a blue gown.

"Princess, your friends have arrived," a servant said as she walked up to her door but did not enter the room.

"I'll be there presently," Olivia said as she stood up from her bed. "Marcia, Luna, stay close by my side, you know how fucking crazy these parties get."

They nodded and followed behind her as she walked to greet her friends and party guests in the atrium of the house.

"Olivia," Caecilia screamed, "I've missed you."

Caecilia was the wife of a senator three times her age. She had olive skin with jet black hair and was known the be especially pretentious.

She walked and greeted Olivia with a tight hug and kiss on the cheek.

"I've missed you too," Olivia said as she felt a small bump and stepped back.

"Caecilia, you are with child?" Olivia remarked, not at all surprised.

"Yes."

"Congratulations," Olivia said with a smile, although she felt sorry for her, the chance of her surviving birth alone was dismal.

"Gratitude," Caecilia remarked.

"Fabia, Aurelia, Julia" Olivia said with a smile as she hugged them as well.

Marcia and Luna watched quietly behind Olivia.

"I'm starving, where's the food?"

"Let's go look for it," Olivia said, giggling.

The went arm in arm to the food table and ate olives, figs, grapes and cheese and wine.

"This falernian wine is the best I've tasted," Fabia was looking into her cup.

"It's quite delicious," Aurelia agreed.

Olivia took a sip as well, "Marcia, Luna, try this."

She handed then her cup so they could each take a sip.

"It's delicious, princess," they both responded.

"Would you like a cup?" Olivia asked.

They both nodded.

Olivia took the jar of wine from the table and poured some into two cups and then handed them to Luna and Marcia.

"Gratitude," the both said.

Caecilia, Fabia and Aurelia used to be shocked at the way Olivia treated her slaves but now they were used to it.

They stood by the table, telling them stories from her time in Greece when her mother ran over to her.

"Olivia senator Romulus would like to see you."

"Mother," Olivia complained.

"Don't whine," Maia held her arm and pulled her, "come on."

Maia pulled her to the center of the party, where there were naked dancers painted in gold dancing in the small water fountain of Jupiter in the house.

"Senator Romulus, here she is," Maia said as she presented Olivia.

"Beautiful, just like her mother," the senator complimented, "and no longer a child."

"Yes, her time away has seen her blossom to a woman," Eli said.

"Exceedingly so, she has...ample assets."

The senator, looked her over, as if she was something to eat. He was roughly the same age as her father but he was a power player in the senate. She knew however, who her father really wanted to Marry her to was Marcus Crassus, the most powerful man in Rome so she paid the senator no mind.

Olivia stood while they chatted about a potential marriage and once they were distracted, she snuck back to chat with her friends who were now in mingling with the other guests of the party.

"There you are, I was afraid they'd taken you for the night," Caecilia said.

Anaca walked over.

"Hello girls," he said.

"Anaca they're all married, you're wasting your time," Olivia said.

Anaca smiled smugly, "I just wanted to invite you all to come a see the champion of Rome."

"No one cares about your fucking gladiators," Olivia said.

"I think this one may wet your appetite," Anaca said with a smirk to all the women.

He took Olivia by the hand and walked her over Eli and Maia, who stood in the center of the room, ready to greet their guests.

Olivia and Anaca stood by their side, as Eli stepped forward with his hands raised to quiet the crowd down. Once they were quiet, he began.

"Greeting, fellow Romans," Eli said loudly, "what a pleasure it is, to have the very best of Rome all gathered to join me in celebrating the return of the Princess Olivia and Prince Anaca."

The crowd applauded.

"I'll keep it short," he said with a smile, "I what to show my gratitude for all in attendance and I want to officially welcome you to our festivities. Drink, eat, dance...if you are of a mind and marvel at the finest gladiator in Rome, the champion of Rome, Fitz!"

Eli gestured to the empty doorway behind him where Fitz appeared escorted by guards. Everyone turned to look, as he walked into the room, clad in polished gold armor strapped across his chest and wrapped down his right arm, his left arm was naked. He wore a thick gold belt covering most of his waist with cloth wrapped underneath to cover his crotch and gold shin guards covering his legs. For his defense, he carried two identical swords, fighting in the gladiatorial style of dimachaerus.

He had a helmet on covering his face.

He stood tall, stoic, unmoving, like a perfect adonis.

Olivia turned around and looked on, not so much in wonder, as it was curiosity.

Anaca walked over to Fitz and pulled off his helmet and handed it to one of the guards.

Olivia looked at Fitz, she wondered if she was the only one in awe and then she looked over to her party guest and realized she wasn't alone.

He was a gorgeous man.

"Behold," Anaca said, "the finest gladiator in Rome."

Everyone cheered.

"Maybe a demonstration?" Anaca asked out loud. "To be quite honest, he is my gladiator but I've seldom seen him fight."

Anaca threw Fitz helmet on the ground and turned to his guard.

"You six, come," he motioned.

The six guards walked over and surrounded Fitz. everyone stepped back, Olivia stepped forward.

"Gladiator fights are meant for the arena, not the atrium," she said.

When Fitz heard the soft voice, he turned, and saw Olivia's face for the first time, only briefly, he was awed and then he had to turn away, she was a princess, he wasn't supposed to look.

"Avert your eyes baby sister, violence is not for women," Anaca said.

Some of the guests laughed.

"These are our special guests, they deserve a show," he finished.

Anaca stepped back to join the crowd, so did Eli, Maia and Olivia.

The guards surrounded him, as he lifted his swords and got in a defensive position.

The first guard swung his sword, Fitz blocked it with his sword. The second guard swung, then the third then the fourth and soon, it was full fledged fight.

One by one, Fitz cut down all the guards, quite easily with only a scratch from the sword of a guard to his bicep as evidence of the fight.

When the last guard fell, Fitz stood at attention once again, looking forward as all the eyes around him looked at him as if he were more animal than man, amused and entertained but they didn't even see him as human, he was entertainment.

There were however, a pair of eyes that were different, big and brown, she looked with compassion. As briefly as he glanced at her, he looked away.

"What a fight," Anaca said as he stepped forward again, "we expect nothing less from the champion of Rome. come forward, look at my most prized possession but be careful, try as you might, you can't tame a beast."

One by one, guest of the party sauntered over and marvelled at Fitz, some touching him, some looking at him, some talking at him, though he pretended he didn't understand.

Olivia kept her distance, chatting with her friends until Anaca walked over to boast about Fitz.

"Some are saying my gladiator is the greatest Rome had seen in a century," Anaca said as he took a sip of his wine, boasting.

"Don't say anything," Olivia said to her friends, "he'll leave...eventually."

"You are such a fucking brat."

"I could say the same about you Anaca, furthermore, you haven't trained your gladiator, you've barely seen him in over a year, I'm not really sure what you're so proud of."

Anaca smirked, begrudgingly. "Enjoy your party sister."

The party came to an end in the early hours of the morning. Fitz was escorted back to his room and guests began filling out group by group, leaving their wine cups with the servants as they were each escorted down to the carriages.

Olivia followed Caecilia, Fabia, Aurelia and Julia down to their carriages and once they were off she went down to the kitchen with Marcia and Luna by her side.

She looked for Mira, one of the oldest and longest serving slaves in her villa. An old roman woman who served in the kitchen of her house. She hoped she was still up.

"Mira," Olivia called when she sat her standing by all the untouch food from the party, "I'm so happy you haven't fallen to sleep, I was hoping you could gather some food and wine on a tray. please."

"Yes princess, of course," Mira replied.

"Gratitude, I'll be waiting," Olivia replied with a smile.

She walked to the far side of the large kitchen to give her space.

"How did you like the party princess," Marcia asked.

"It was alright," Olivia said, yawning as she spoke.

"Would you like me to prepare your bed?" Luna asked.

"No, not yet," Olivia said.

Although she was tired, she felt excited.

"My dear princess," Mira called as she walked over with a tray of food and a cup of wine.

"Gratitude Mira," Olivia said as she took the tray. Marica took the wine.

"I'm so happy, you are home," Mira said.

Olivia kissed Mira on the cheek, "I'm happy to home, I'm not happy their trying to marry me off though."

"Careful child," Mira said as she caressed Olivia's cheek, "you mustn't let anyone hear you."

"I know but still," Olivia said with a chuckle.

Mira smile, "goodnight, sleep well, I know you must be tired after a long day."

Olivia returned the smile and took off with the tray off food towards the side entrance of the villa.

"Where are we going princess?" Maricia asked.

Olivia kept walking until she reached the garden and stopped by the fountain in the shape of Venus.

All of the guests had gone, the guards were scarce as well.

"You'll see," Olivia responded with a mischievous smile.

She took the pathway through the garden down to the far side of the yard, where the gladiators were housed. Most of the gladiators were looked away in an underground series of cell, except for the champion, who was in a small concrete room, above ground.

"Princess, where are we going?" Marica asked again.

"Shh, follow me."

Olivia walked until she reached the room, resembling a garden shed, and then she quietly knocked on the door and waited.

There was no response.

She knocked again and waited.

Still, there was no response.

"Do you think, he's fallen to sleep?" Olivia whispered to Luna and Marica.

"I do not know," Marica responded.

Olivia pushed the wooden door open, slowly and stepped inside. Fitz was sitting on the bed, with his back against the wall, the only light in the room came from a dozen candles gathered in the corners of the room.

He stared up at her but he didn't say a word. She never before seen such sad eyes, until him.

"Hi," she said she stooped on the dirt floor, by the side of his single bed, not caring if she ruined her dress. She held the tray of figs, grapes, strawberries, apricots and cheese up to him.

Fitz didn't reply.

"I brought you food, I thought you might be hungry."

Fitz didn't reply and she wondered if he spoke her language.

"Do you speak the common tongue?"

A silent moment passed before Fitz spoke.

"You shouldn't be here princess."

"Olivia, my name is Olivia," she responded.

"You shouldn't be here," he said again.

"I know."

She held up the tray once again, "eat."

"Apologies, I'm not hungry...Olivia."

She smiled at the sound of his voice and rested the tray of food on his bed and then she took the wine from Marcia and placed it on the wooden tray.

"Goodnight, sleep well," she said softly.

Marcia held the door open for Olivia as she turned and headed out.

The moment they closed the door behind them, Fitz dug into the food, he was starving.

As a child, he was the son of the chief of a large celtic tribe, even so, his life wasn't luxurious. He never knew his mother and lost his father when he was 14, after his father died during an attack on his tribe, it was then that Fitz was captured and sold into slavery.

He'd never tasted such fine wine and food and wondered why she brought it for him in the first place. He'd heard stories about the princess, he'd heard the she was kind and beautiful, so far she seem both more kind and more beautiful that he'd expected but it didn't matter what he thought or how he felt, she was a princess and he was a slave.

* * *

References:

Subligaria - roman cloth wrapped into underwear.

Doctore - Gladiator trainer.

Atrium - open roofed room of a roman villa.

Celt/Celtic - group of indo-european people originating from western Europe.


End file.
